| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lesser Hippias by Plato: matter of speaking the truth they are much upon a par.
HIPPIAS: There you are wrong, Socrates; for in so far as Achilles speaks
falsely, the falsehood is obviously unintentional. He is compelled against
his will to remain and rescue the army in their misfortune. But when
Odysseus speaks falsely he is voluntarily and intentionally false.
SOCRATES: You, sweet Hippias, like Odysseus, are a deceiver yourself.
HIPPIAS: Certainly not, Socrates; what makes you say so?
SOCRATES: Because you say that Achilles does not speak falsely from
design, when he is not only a deceiver, but besides being a braggart, in
Homer's description of him is so cunning, and so far superior to Odysseus
in lying and pretending, that he dares to contradict himself, and Odysseus
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Menexenus by Plato: ordered our lives, and instructed us in the arts for the supply of our
daily needs, and taught us the acquisition and use of arms for the defence
of the country.
Thus born into the world and thus educated, the ancestors of the departed
lived and made themselves a government, which I ought briefly to
commemorate. For government is the nurture of man, and the government of
good men is good, and of bad men bad. And I must show that our ancestors
were trained under a good government, and for this reason they were good,
and our contemporaries are also good, among whom our departed friends are
to be reckoned. Then as now, and indeed always, from that time to this,
speaking generally, our government was an aristocracy--a form of government
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Lin McLean by Owen Wister: sunlight, were the only sounds about the cabin. When the host looked into
the door of the next room to announce that his meal was served, the woman
sat in her chair no longer, but stood with her back to him by a shelf.
She gave a slight start at his summons, and replaced something. He saw
that she had been examining "Neighbor," and his face hardened suddenly to
fierceness as he looked at her; but he repeated quietly that she had
better come in. Thus did the three sit down to their meal. Occasionally a
word about handing some dish fell from one or other of them, but nothing
more, until Lusk took out his watch and mentioned the hour.
"Yu've not ate especially hearty," said Lin, resting his arms upon the
table.
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The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell: he could, though he hasn't much to give and he won't take anything
from me either--speculator's money is unlucky money, you see! And
the charity of their friends. Your Aunt Eulalie, she's been very
kind. She's one of Mother's best friends, you know. She's given
them clothes and-- Good God! My mother on charity!"
It was one of the few times she had ever seen him with his mask
off, his face hard with honest hatred for his father and distress
for his mother.
"Aunt 'Lalie! But, good Heavens, Rhett, she hasn't got anything
much above what I send her!"
"Ah, so that's where it comes from! How ill bred of you, my dear,
Gone With the Wind |
